To James Madison from Philip Freneau, 8 April 1809

From Philip Freneau

Philadelphia, April 8th. 1809.

Sir,

I do myself the pleasure to enclose to You a copy of Proposals for the publication of a couple of Volumes of Poems1 shortly to be put to the Press in this city. Perhaps some of Your particular friends in Virginia may be induced, from a view of the Proposals in your hands to subscribe their names. If so, please to have them forwarded to this place by Post, addressed to the Publisher at No. 10. North Alley, Philadelphia. Accept my congratulations on your late Election to the Presidency of the United States, and my hopes that Your weight of State Affairs may receive every alleviation in the gratitude and esteem of the Public whom you serve in your truly honourable and exalted station. I remain, Sir, with the highest respect and regard Your humble Servant

Philip Freneau.

RC (DLC). Docketed by JM.

1. Philip Freneau, Poems Written and Published during the American Revolutionary War … (3d ed.; 2 vols.; Philadelphia, 1809). JM subscribed for ten copies of this work, which Lydia R. Bailey published (ibid., 2:vii). For Jefferson’s reaction to Freneau’s work, see Boyd, Papers of Jefferson description begins Julian P. Boyd et al., eds., The Papers of Thomas Jefferson (20 vols. to date; Princeton, N.J., 1950—). description ends , 20:752 n. 97. Freneau was JM’s classmate at Princeton (1771) and editor of the Philadelphia National Gazette, 1791–93, to which JM was a contributor.

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